Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra
modeled c. 1859; carved after 1859
Medium
Marble
Dimensions
86.4 × 57.2 × 31.8 cm (34 × 22 1/2 × 12 1/2 in.)
Classification
sculpture
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
125652
Art Historical Context
Harriet Hosmer’s *Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra* captures the dignity of a remarkable historical figure. Zenobia ruled the oasis city of Palmyra in the third century and briefly challenged the Roman Empire, expanding her realm across the eastern Mediterranean before her defeat. Hosmer, one of the first professional American women sculptors, modeled the work around 1859 and had it carved in marble shortly afterward, presenting the queen in quiet strength rather than dramatic defeat. Carved from luminous white marble, the sculpture reflects the neoclassical taste of its era while showcasing Hosmer’...